Olfactory Sensory Neuron Morphotypes in the Featherback Fish, Notopterus notopterus (Osteoglossiformes: Notopteridae)

As in other vertebrates, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in fishes are the main components of sensory part of olfactory epithelium that relay olfactory information (smell and taste) to the brain.

Objective of the present study was to analyze if any polymorphism occurs in the OSNs in a featherback fish, Notopterus notopterus as far as the teleost lineage is concerned.

With the help of neuronal staining technique, polymorphism of OSNs in N. notopterus was studied.

Three polymorphic forms of OSNs were identified which are ciliated OSNs, microvillus OSNs and crypt OSNs. These morphotypes were identified on the basis of location of their somata within the depth of olfactory epithelium and resulting length of their dendrites. The ciliated OSNs have basally situated somata and long, thin dendrites with a few apically arranged cilia while microvillous OSNs have somata located midway in the epithelium and thick moderate-length dendrites with microvilli. Third cell type is crypt OSNs which are spherical or pear-shaped, located apically just close to the epithelial surface having cilia and microvilli in an invagination and devoid of any dendrite.

N. notopterus belongs to order Osteoglossiformes which is a representative of an early evolutionary lineage of teleost fishes. OSN polymorphism reported in the present work indicates that it is a fairly conserved trait throughout the evolution of teleosts. To our knowledge, we are the first ones to report OSN polymorphism in a member of the order Osteoglossiformes.